Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1887-03-24

she was wonderfully adaptive. She
knew nothing Of the etiquette; the
habits, the manners OF the supper ten,"
but in less than three months she was
so perfect that no one could have told
that she had ever lived In any other class.
The only thing she retained of her old
life, was a love offreedOm; and an utter
ly unworldiy habit of speaking her
thoughts.
What year that was for her, no
shadow of a mysterious fate hung over
her. Her husband w0rshipped her with
a perfect madness Of alteration. She
could not frame wish that was not
gratiied; she enjoyed every luxury,
every pleasure that wealth could pur-
chase for her. That one year of travel
and constant association with man like
Lord Stair educated her; she was so
quick and so intelligent that she caught
the languages of the two countries.
France and Italy, with wonderous skill,
and then, in June, Lord Stair brought
her home to England,
1t was the end of the season, but her
debute seemed to prolong it; the whole
of the fashionable world were delighted
with her; they had seen nothing 80
lovely, so piquant, so brightly original.
Marguerite Lady Stair; II she had been
born in the purple, she could not have
held herself in higher state, she could
not have carried herself with more
royal grace; il she had lived in the
society of the keenest wits all her life,
she could not have been bright, wittier,
or more apt at repartee.
The world raved about Lady Stair,
and she laughed at it; she never took
anything seriously that it said or
did-and in some measure defied
it. She said things no one else
could say; she did things that in her
were adorable, but that in another
would have been risque. Her own wild,
beautiful fancies swayed her;the dreamy
genius of the father was transmitted TO
the child, but in her 1t took the shape
of fire, impulse, action.
If Lady Stair liked any one, she made
no secret of it; ifshe disliked, no matter
whom she showed it with equal frank
ness. She was daringly original; but
the strange fate hanging over her, she
would have been power in the great
world
Lady Stair says So" was the pass
port for many witty saying-"Lady
Stair did it," was the excuse for many
a frolic.
She was presented at court, and the
queens eyes dwelt on her with in
dulgent admiration. She looked as
beautiful as vision in her court cos
tune Of white satin, the "Stair dia-
monds," and costly plumes. The eyes
of many royal duke frightened as they
gazed upon her. Her success in society
was great and Immediate. She did not
realize much of what was passing
during the two or three weeks that she
in London. TO the girl
brought up in the country, heart and
soul filed with the love of beautiful ma
ture, it was a marvellous change; to her
it seemed like grand phantasma-like
a dream from which there was no
waking. Then the season ended, and
Lord Stair took her home.
Ii was the last day in July when they
reached Oskclifie. The drive through
the magnificent park where the sun
was setting was delightful.
"Oh Douglass" said the fair young
wife, with sigh of ineifable satisfaction
show glad | am to be amongst the trees !
aud flowers again. | have heard moth
ing so delightful since / left install as
the song of those BIRDS"
She started to find Lord stair looking
at her with an anxious expression on
his face.
marguerite, he said 81 have been so
entirely wrapped up in you, have |
hardly given a thought to any creature. !
| am very much afraid | have really
neglected or forgotten what is of inn
pOrtance; and now that we are drawing
near home, | have just awOke to it,"
He looked really troubled, but Mar
guerite laughed. What could efie ct her? |
IL have talked to you often" he said, |
about my sister Lady Thamer Perth:
yet believe | have forgotten to tell you
that she lives here at Oakcliffe Towers"
Never shadow crossed the lovely
young face.
''Does she? Why need that make you
anxious, Douglas?"
IL am not sure that you will like her;
she is very good. but peculiar"
''Is she like your" asked Marguerite.
He looked just a little embarrassed |
laughed with some confusion.
"If cay No, you may think l am
praising myself. / must leave you to
find out wha at she is like. The question
is, shall you be happy with herr"
"She will have nothing TODD with
me-" said fair Marguerite. IL belong
to You"
You do my darling, Heaven be
praised. but Thamer has been mistress
of Oakcliffe for some years; she Is pecul- |
lar. Hers Is a sad story. She married
Sir Robert Perth, and she loved him
very much. She was very happy for a
year or two, then he died. And the
strange thing is that he left all his
money away from her, and she has
to live upon except what I
give her,
'Why was thatp" asked Marguerite. |
mo one knows. / wrote to her at
once, and asked her to share my home"
$40 you mean," asked Marguerite,
with wide-open eyes, THAT she will not
be pleased at my coming here?"
mot exactly that" he replied; "but
il she seems a little proud. or hard, or
cold with you bear IL patiently for my
sake"
~ shall not mind it," ans wered the
carelessly. "Oh, Douglass,
what a place, how beautiful, how
"Tbis is home my darling" said Lord
Stair, "and Heaven send you a long and
happy life here"
Alas! Alas! The summer winds stirred
the grand branches of the old oaks, and
they sighed u warning. The rays of
the setting sun fell slanting over the
pile of buildings, which in
that ruddy light seemed wrapped In
flames.
"a long and happy life my darling"
he repeated, kissing the lovely face, and
again the wind seemed to 81 h through |
the branches.
They had magnificent, welcome